Angan languages

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title: "Angan languages" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["angan-languages", "languages-of-papua-new-guinea", "morobe–eastern-highlands-languages"] description: "Family of Trans–New Guinea languages" topic_path: "linguistics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angan_languages" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Family of Trans–New Guinea languages ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox language family"]

Field	Value
name	Angan
altname	Kratke Range
region	Kratke Range, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
ethnicity	Angu people
familycolor	Papuan
fam1	Trans–New Guinea
fam2	Eastern Highlands – Kratke Range
glotto	anga1289
glottorefname	Angan
map	Angan languages.svg
mapcaption	Map: The Angan languages of New Guinea
::

|name=Angan |altname=Kratke Range |region=Kratke Range, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea |ethnicity=Angu people |familycolor=Papuan |fam1=Trans–New Guinea |fam2=Eastern Highlands – Kratke Range |glotto=anga1289 |glottorefname=Angan |map=Angan languages.svg |mapcaption=Map: The Angan languages of New Guinea

The Angan or Kratke Range languages are a family of the Trans–New Guinea languages in the classification of Malcolm Ross. The Angan languages are clearly valid as a family. They were first identified as such by J. Lloyd and A. Healey in 1968; Wurm (1975) classified them as Trans–New Guinea. Glottolog treats Angan as a separate or unclassified family, ignoring further evidence.

The languages are spoken in the Kratke Range of Eastern Highlands Province and adjoining areas of Gulf Province and Morobe Province.

Languages

Ross (2005) classifies the languages as follows:

• Angan
  • Angaatiha
  • Angan proper (Nuclear Angan)
    • Angan branch A:
      • Hamtai (Kapau)
      • Kamasa
      • Kawatsa
      • Menya
      • Yagwoia
    • Angan branch B:
      • Akoye (Lohiki)
      • Yipma (Baruya)
      • Safeyoka
      • Simbari
      • Susuami
      • Tainae (Ivori)

Branch A is defined by the pronouns ni and ti. Ankave is not listed in Ross's classification. It has the pronouns based on ni, but not a based on ti.

Usher (2020) is both more agnostic and contradicting of Ross's 'A' and 'B' branches:

• Kratke Range
  • Angaataha
  • Yagwoia
  • Northeast: Kamasa, Kawacha, Safeyoka, Susuami
  • Northwest: Baruya (Yipma), Simbari
  • Southeast: Hamtai (Kapau), Menya
  • Southwest: Akoye (Lohiki) – Tainae (Ivori), Angave

Menya is notable for its dyadic kinship terms (terms referring to the relationship two or more people have to each other), which are rare globally and not prevalent in Papua New Guinea (though they also exist in the Oksapmin language).

Many Angan languages are covered by phonological sketches in Lloyd (1973a, b).

Pronouns

Ross (1995) reconstructs the pronouns (independent and object prefixes) as follows:

:{| ! !!singular!!dual!!plural |- !1st person |*nə, *ni *nə- |*nʌ, *yʌi *e(a)- |*nʌi *na- |- !2nd person |*gə, *ti *gə- |*kʌi |*sʌi *se- |- !3rd person |*gʌ *u-/*w- |? (=) |*ku (=) |}

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from the Trans-New Guinea database:

The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g. mɨnyagɨnya, magɨna, munakɨna for “head”) or not (e.g. sanggwa, avgwo, nyɨla for “sun”).

::data[format=table]

gloss	Ankave	Akoye	Baruya	Hamtai	Kamasa	Kawacha	Menya	Safeyoka	Simbari	Tainae	Yagwoia	Angaataha	head	hair	ear	eye	nose	tooth	tongue	leg	louse	dog	bird	egg	blood	bone	skin	breast	tree	man	woman	sun	moon	water	fire	stone	name	eat	one	two
mɨnga(yi)	mɨnggaaya	mɨnyagɨnya	mnga	magɨna	munakɨna	mnyanga	mɨnakɨna	minta	mɨnggaai	mnakɨna	mɨtɨ-'o
nda'a	n̩daa(vɨ')	mɨjata	mta	njisa	msa'a	mta; nda	mɨsa	mindata	ṃde	msaasa	mɨsis-a'a
haara'a	araa	kadɨka	qata	kata'a	kaatɨga	qata	haaraha	kaantɨka	aarɨ(na)	qatisa	atɨ'-ɨrɨ
sɨmu(yi)	aagwaai	tɨnna	hingo	tuma	tɨmma	hingwa	tɨma	sɨmta	haagwe	hina	nt-a'a
sɨ'ma	hamɨ	sɨnna	hima	sipata	lɨpasi	hima	zamaana	sɨmputa	hamɨ	himsa	mant-a'a
maangɨ	maaga	maanga	maanga	maanga	maanga	heqwaanga	maanga	maanka	maage	maana	mank-ɨrɨ
aai'wɨ	aabgwa; aavwia	taalɨta	aaiwa	tewa	teva	tewa	meraanya	kwaavlɨlɨ	aaveona	hyaalsa	omas-a'a
sugwaaviaga	avga	sɨvɨla	yanga	sugwa	lɨvya	zuka	zɨve	sɨwla	habgu'	kwapɨtwalyɨ	au'-ɨrɨ
iya	ye	yɨle	iyaa'aa	iya	iya	yaaqa	iyaa	ila	nde'	ila	akɨrɨ-'o
sɨwia	tayo	jɨlɨka	hive'aa	suya	lɨvaaya	hivyeqa	zɨwasa	njɨlɨka	tɨyo	wakyɨ	su'-ɨrɨ
inga	inko	yuta	inga	manɨwa	mɨnavaaya	yinga	yɨhuva	ntaqatɨ	inko	qaikwɨsa	ko-'o
ki'mɨnga	m̩ge	(yu)kwaraka	mnga	hi'imɨya	mɨnya	qwi	mɨna	pantapta	ṃge'; munke'	mna	kwaatani-patɨ; nameraa-'o
taangga	taagi	tawe	hinge'aa	kwe	langaaya	hangeqa	saahana; yaa'mpaza	mɨnjaaka	taagi'	msaasa	nsɨtɨ-patɨ
enga'	yanggai	yagɨnya	yanga	yakina	yakɨna	yaanga	yakana	yankinta	yɨnggai	yekɨna	antɨ-tatɨ
yaraa(na)	yara(na)	kɨlaaka	hewa	pa'a(me)	paa(ga)	hviwa	(aa'ma)paaha	kɨlaaka	yarana	aa'mosa	ampɨ-patɨ
aamunga	aamɨgo	aa(ng)wɨnya	aamga	aanya	aamɨna	aangwa	aamna	aamɨnta	aamugo'	aamna	amwɨtɨ'-ɨrɨ
ika'	iga'	ita	iya	isa	iga	iya	iya	ika	igya	isa	i-patɨ
oga	avo; waako	kwala	qoka	kwe'wa	kwe; kwoyava	qoka	hwe	kwala	avo	kwala	wo-'o
aavagi	abaagi	bala	aapaka	amaa	a'me; api	apaka	ape	aampala	avaagi	aapala	apop-aatɨ
sanggwa	avgwo	nyɨla	mapa	mape	mapiya	mapa (tɨqa)	mape	kwɨnja; nilya	habgo'	mapya	ipɨ-'o
ema'	aamnggo	langwa	qaamnga	ki'yapa	kaamɨna	qaangwa	haamna	lampaaka	imo'	lamnyɨ	waatɨ-'o
yɨnunggu	inaaga	aalya	e'aa	kwe('ma)	aaya	eqa	aaya	aalya; wanya	(i)naagu	aalyɨ	wapo'-o
ta'a	ta(vɨ')	dɨka	ta	ta'a	tɨga	ta	tɨha	ntɨka	taa(vɨ')	tɨsa	sis-a'a
sa'anga	andaga	sɨla	hawa	tega	laasa	hika	zasa	sɨla	haai	hekyɨ	naw-a'a
avaa'nankana	ntaga	yaya (yavya)	yav'a	nyanyaawo	yavya	yavqa	yave	yavata	taagɨ(va')	yawyɨ	ampɨ-patɨ
n̲eo'	n̲amda'	n̲ɨwa'	qan̲'i	inyo	minyo	an̲ki	haṉkaha	an̲aantapyɨ	nɨmda'	hisa n̲aatana	nanataise
naawona	fonu'	pɨrɨ' (na)	fati (na)	hunanɨnko	uwa'na	hɨnkwona	ingava'na	pɨrɨ'mɨna	fono	hɨnkwa'na	nas-
uwa	faaina	pɨrɨwaai (na)	hivaa'u	hukwego	huvaa'u	hɨnqwaaqwo	huvaa'u	pɨvɨraalna	foya	hulwaaqwɨ	ya-
::

References

• Lloyd, R.G. "The Angan Language Family". In Franklin, K. editor, The linguistic situation in the Gulf District and adjacent areas, Papua New Guinea. C-26:31-110. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1973.

References

1. (2019). "Papua New Guinea languages". [[SIL International]].
2. [https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/trans-new-guinea/morobe-eastern-highlands/kratke-range NewGuineaWorld]
3. link. (2009-09-20 , retrieved May 21, 2009.)
4. Lloyd, Richard G. 1973a The Angan language family. In: Franklin (ed.), 31–110.
5. Lloyd, Richard G. 1973b The Angan language family: Neighbouring languages. In: Franklin (ed.), 93–94.
6. {{Malcolm Ross Pronouns
7. Greenhill, Simon. (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea".

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